Close to seven hundred URLs have been blocked by way of social media structures like Facebook and Twitter this 12 months, with the government announcing it has requested these groups to find technological solutions to ensure that rumours and faux information do now not proliferate on their platforms.

Addressing contributors’ worries during Question Hour inside the Rajya Sabha, Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said at the same time as the government turned into pressing for extra responsibility of social media corporations, it turned into clean that the proper of the people to elevate questions needs to be upheld. There is a need to have a consensus on what constitutes fake information, Prasad stated.

The minister stated numerous URLs had been blocked by using these organizations in compliance with the provisions of the InformationTechnology Act in recent beyond. He stated until June this 12 months, the variety of URLs blocked by means of Facebook become 499, YouTube 57, Twitter 88, Instagram 25 and Tumblr 28.

Prasad become responding to numerous contributors who had raised questions about the unfold of faux information on social media web sites along with Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp and sought to understand what the authorities turned into doing in this regard. Some incidents of lynching had been additionally linked to the unfold of fake news.

He said the government has impressed upon these groups that India being an emerging digital strength, they were unfastened to do their commercial enterprise here, but technological answers should be found to test the threat of misuse in their systems. Prasad cautioned that the companies couldn’t absolutely steer clear of responsibility for the contents on their platforms and they may also be seen as abettors. He stated it “does no longer actually need rocket science to find method to the hassle” and introduced that the social media systems have been asked to take steps.

He referred to the appointment of grievance officers through such businesses as one feasible measure. The minister stated there was a need to rise above birthday celebration strains to address the vital issue. Asked by means of a member if the authorities ought to consult the Press Council of India to address the difficulty, Prasad stated a few commands on this regard were given simplest these days. Responding to different questions, Prasad stated the answers to lots of troubles could be located underneath the ambit of the existing laws. “We are searching for administrative and technological answers, he stated.